• DOGE days numbered?
    Feb 5 2025
    The DOGE team faces growing backlash. The Five Eyes release guidance on protecting edge devices. A critical macOS kernel vulnerability allows privilege escalation, memory corruption, and kernel code execution. Google and Mozilla release security updates for Chrome and Firefox. Multiple Veeam backup products are vulnerable to man-in-the-middle attacks. Zyxel suggests you replace those outdated routers. A former Google engineer faces multiple charges for alleged corporate espionage. CISA issues nine new advisories for ICS vulnerabilities. A house Republican introduces a cybersecurity workforce scholarship bill. On our CertByte segment, a look at ISC2’s CISSP exam. Google updates its stance on AI weapons. Remember to leave us a 5-star rating and review in your favorite podcast app. Miss an episode? Sign-up for our daily intelligence roundup, Daily Briefing, and you’ll never miss a beat. And be sure to follow CyberWire Daily on LinkedIn. CertByte Segment Welcome to CertByte! On this bi-weekly segment hosted by Chris Hare. This week, Chris is joined by Steven Burnley to break down a question targeting ISC2®'s CISSP - Certified Information Systems Security Professional) exam. Today’s question comes from N2K’s ISC2® CISSP - Certified Information Systems Security Professional Practice Test. Have a question that you’d like to see covered? Email us at certbyte@n2k.com. If you're studying for a certification exam, check out N2K’s full exam prep library of certification practice tests, practice labs, and training courses by visiting our website at n2k.com/certify. Please note: The questions and answers provided here, and on our site, are not actual current or prior questions and answers from these certification publishers or providers. Selected Reading Federal Workers Sue to Disconnect DOGE Server (WIRED) Treasury says DOGE review has ‘read-only’ access to federal payments system (The Record) ‘Things Are Going to Get Intense:’ How a Musk Ally Plans to Push AI on the Government (404 Media) Cybersecurity, government experts are aghast at security failures in DOGE takeover (CyberScoop) Five Eyes Launch Guidance to Improve Edge Device Security (Infosecurity Magazine) Apple's MacOS Kernel Vulnerability Let Attackers Escalate Privileges - PoC Released (Cyber Security News) Chrome 133, Firefox 135 Patch High-Severity Vulnerabilities (SecurityWeek) Critical Veeam Vulnerability (CVE-2025-23114) Exposes Backup Servers to Remote Code Execution (SOCRadar) Router maker Zyxel tells customers to replace vulnerable hardware exploited by hackers (TechCrunch) US cranks up espionage charges against ex-Googler accused of trade secrets heist (The Register) CISA Releases Nine Advisories Detailing vulnerabilities and Exploits Surrounding ICS (Cyber Security News) CISA hires former DHS CIO into top cyber position (Federal News Network) Proposal for federal cyber scholarship, with service requirement, returns in House (The Record) Google drops pledge not to use AI for weapons or surveillance (Washington Post) Share your feedback. We want to ensure that you are getting the most out of the podcast. Please take a few minutes to share your thoughts with us by completing our brief listener survey as we continually work to improve the show. Want to hear your company in the show? You too can reach the most influential leaders and operators in the industry. Here’s our media kit. Contact us at cyberwire@n2k.com to request more info. The CyberWire is a production of N2K Networks, your source for strategic workforce intelligence. © N2K Networks, Inc. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
    Show More Show Less
    33 mins
  • A wolf in DOGE’s clothing?
    Feb 4 2025
    DOGE’s unchecked access to federal networks sparks major cybersecurity fears. Senator Hawley’s AI ban targets China and raises free speech concerns. Apple service ticket portal vulnerability exposed millions of users’ data. North Korean ‘FlexibleFerret’ malware targets macos via job scams and fake zoom apps. February 2025 android security update fixes 48 vulnerabilities, including exploited zero-day. Grubhub data breach exposes customer and driver information. Abandoned cloud infrastructure creates major security risks. Texas to launch its own Cyber Command amid rising cyber threats. Dell PowerProtect vulnerabilities pose critical security risks. On our Threat Vector segment, David Moulton and his guests look at the potential dangers of DeepSeek. U.S. Government is quietly altering the Head Start database. And a moment of inspiration from a spacefaring poet. Remember to leave us a 5-star rating and review in your favorite podcast app. Miss an episode? Sign-up for our daily intelligence roundup, Daily Briefing, and you’ll never miss a beat. And be sure to follow CyberWire Daily on LinkedIn. Threat Vector Segment Artificial intelligence is advancing fast, but with innovation comes risk. In this segment of Threat Vector, host David Moulton sits down with Sam Rubin, SVP of Consulting and Threat Intelligence at Unit 42, and Kyle Wilhoit, Director of Threat Research, to explore the vulnerabilities of DeepSeek, a new large language model. To listen to the full discussion, please check out the episode here or on your favorite podcast app, and tune in to new episodes of Threat Vector by Palo Alto Networks every Thursday. Selected Reading Musk’s DOGE effort could spread malware, expose US systems to threat actors (CSO Online) As DOGE teams plug into federal networks, cybersecurity risks could be huge, experts say (The Record) Senator Hawley Proposes Jail Time for People Who Download DeepSeek (404 Media) Apple Service Ticket portal Vulnerability Exposes Millions of Users Data (Cyber Security News) N. Korean ‘FlexibleFerret’ Malware Hits macOS with Fake Zoom, Job Scams (Hackread) Google fixes Android kernel zero-day exploited in attacks (Bleeping Computer) GrubHub Data Breach - Customers Phone Numbers Exposed (Cyber Security News) Here’s all the ways an abandoned cloud instance can cause security issues (CyberScoop) Texas to Establish Cyber Command Amid “Dramatic” Rise in Attacks (Infosecurity Magazine) Multiple Dell PowerProtect Vulnerabilities Let Attackers Compromise System (Cyber Security News) ‘Forbidden Words’: Github Reveals How Software Engineers Are Purging Federal Databases (404 Media) T-Minus Deep Space: Inspiration4 with Dr. Sian “Leo” Proctor. (T-Minus Deep Space podcast) Dr. Sian Proctor got her ticket to space after being selected for her poetry (Instagram) 2025 SpaceCom: Interview with Dr. Sian Proctor (YouTube) Share your feedback. We want to ensure that you are getting the most out of the podcast. Please take a few minutes to share your thoughts with us by completing our brief listener survey as we continually work to improve the show. Want to hear your company in the show? You too can reach the most influential leaders and operators in the industry. Here’s our media kit. Contact us at cyberwire@n2k.com to request more info. The CyberWire is a production of N2K Networks, your source for strategic workforce intelligence. © N2K Networks, Inc. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
    Show More Show Less
    33 mins
  • Federal agencies in power struggle crossfire.
    Feb 3 2025
    Federal agencies become battlegrounds in an unprecedented power struggle. XE Group evolves from credit-card skimming to exploiting zero-day vulnerabilities. WhatsApp uncovers a zero-click spyware attack linked to an Israeli firm.Texas expands its ban on Chinese-backed AI and social media apps. Data breaches expose the personal and medical information of over a million people.NVIDIA patches multiple critical vulnerabilities. Arm discloses critical vulnerabilities affecting its Mali GPU Kernel Drivers and firmware. The UK government aims to set the global standard for securing AI. Tim Starks from CyberScoop has the latest from Senate confirmation hearings. The National Cryptologic Museum rights a wrong. Remember to leave us a 5-star rating and review in your favorite podcast app. Miss an episode? Sign-up for our daily intelligence roundup, Daily Briefing, and you’ll never miss a beat. And be sure to follow CyberWire Daily on LinkedIn. CyberWire Guest Joining us today is Tim Starks, Senior Reporter from CyberScoop, to discuss two of his recent articles: FBI nominee Kash Patel getting questions on cybercrime investigations, Silk Road founder, surveillance powers Even the US government can fall victim to cryptojacking Selected Reading Top Security Officials at Aid Agency Put on Leave After Denying Access to Musk Team (New York Times) Exclusive: Musk aides lock workers out of OPM computer system (Reuters) Federal Workers Block Doors of Admin Building Over Elon Musk Data Breach (DC Media Group) Trump Broke the Federal Email System and Government Employees Got Blasted With Astonishingly Vulgar Messages (Futurism) CISA employees told they are exempt from federal worker resignation program (The Record) From credit card fraud to zero-day exploits: Xe Group expanding cybercriminal efforts (CyberScoop) Israeli Firm Paragon Attack WhatsApp With New Zero-Click Spyware (Cyber Security News) Texas Gov. Greg Abbott bans DeepSeek, RedNote and other Chinese-backed AI platforms (Statesman) Hundreds of Thousands Hit by Data Breaches at Healthcare Firms in Colorado, North Carolina (SecurityWeek) Insurance Company Globe Life Notifying 850,000 People of Data Breach (SecurityWeek) NVIDIA GPU Display Driver Vulnerability Lets Attackers Steal Files Remotely - Update Now (Cyber Security News) Arm Mali GPU Kernel Driver 0-Day Vulnerability Actively Exploited in the Wild (Cyber Security News) UK Announces “World-First” AI Security Standard (Infosecurity Magazine) Larry Pfeiffer on Bluesky (Bluesky) Possibly related to the Bluesky post: Trailblazers in U.S. Cryptologic History Share your feedback. We want to ensure that you are getting the most out of the podcast. Please take a few minutes to share your thoughts with us by completing our brief listener survey as we continually work to improve the show. Want to hear your company in the show? You too can reach the most influential leaders and operators in the industry. Here’s our media kit. Contact us at cyberwire@n2k.com to request more info. The CyberWire is a production of N2K Networks, your source for strategic workforce intelligence. © N2K Networks, Inc. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
    Show More Show Less
    32 mins
  • Margaret Cunningham: A people scientist with a technology focus. [Behavioral science} [Career Notes]
    Feb 2 2025
    Please enjoy this encore episode with Principal Research Scientist for Human Behavior at Forcepoint, Margaret Cunningham. She shares her story of how she landed in cybersecurity. With a background in psychology and counseling and not feeling that one-on-one counseling was her thing, Margaret had a transformational moment in her PhD program in applied experimental technology when she realized she could "provide helping services and good work services at a broader scale." Margaret found her professional footing at DHS's Human Systems Integration Branch of Science and Technology Department as the person who figured out how to measure how new technologies impacted human performance. Margaret points out that making connections and reading whatever you can is important to stay up to date in the field. She notes that her statistical analysis skills are an asset. She hopes to create champions in human behavior and performance in the world of technology. We thank Margaret for sharing her story with us. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
    Show More Show Less
    7 mins
  • A Digital Eye on supply-chain-based espionage attacks. [Research Saturday]
    Feb 1 2025
    This week, Dave Bittner is joined by Juan Andres Guerrero-Saade (JAGS) from SentinelOne's SentinelLabs to discuss the work his team and Tinexta Cyber did on "Operation Digital Eye | Chinese APT Compromises Critical Digital Infrastructure via Visual Studio Code Tunnels." Tinexta Cyber and SentinelLabs have been tracking threat activities targeting business-to-business IT service providers in Southern Europe. Based on the malware, infrastructure, techniques used, victimology, and the timing of the activities, we assess that it is highly likely these attacks were conducted by a China-nexus threat actor with cyberespionage motivations. The relationships between European countries and China are complex, characterized by cooperation, competition, and underlying tensions in areas such as trade, investment, and technology. Suspected China-linked cyberespionage groups frequently target public and private organizations across Europe to gather strategic intelligence, gain competitive advantages, and advance geopolitical, economic, and technological interests. The research can be found here: Operation Digital Eye | Chinese APT Compromises Critical Digital Infrastructure via Visual Studio Code Tunnels Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
    Show More Show Less
    27 mins
  • The end of a cybercrime empire.
    Jan 31 2025
    Authorities dismantle a Pakistan-based cybercrime network. Lawmakers question the feasibility of establishing a U.S. Cyber Force as a standalone military branch. The DOJ sues to block HPE’s acquisition of Juniper Networks. Tangerine Turkey deploys cryptomining malware. Major healthcare providers send breach notifications. Norwegian police seize a Russian-crewed ship suspected of damaging a communications cable. Researchers discover critical vulnerabilities in GitHub Copilot. D-Link patches a critical router vulnerability. CISA and the FDA have warned U.S. healthcare organizations of severe security vulnerabilities in Chinese-made patient monitors. Pauses in funding create confusion for federal cybersecurity vendors. We bid a fond farewell to a pair of N2K colleagues. The case of the disappearing government data. Remember to leave us a 5-star rating and review in your favorite podcast app. Miss an episode? Sign-up for our daily intelligence roundup, Daily Briefing, and you’ll never miss a beat. And be sure to follow CyberWire Daily on LinkedIn. CyberWire Guest Today’s guest segment is bittersweet as we offer our thanks and see you laters to two of our beloved colleagues N2K President Simone Petrella, who’s taking her leadership role to our advisory board, and Executive Editor Brandon Karpf, who will be taking up the mantle of protecting our national security starting his own company, Hedy Cyber. Join us in celebrating their incredible journeys, contributions to our successes, and letting them both know just how deeply they will be missed by all of us here at N2K. Selected Reading US, Dutch Authorities Disrupt Pakistani Hacking Shop Network (SecurityWeek) Lawmakers push for guardrails, deadline on cyber military study (The Record) US Sues to Stop HPE $14 Billion Deal to Buy Juniper Networks (Bloomberg) Tangerine Turkey mines cryptocurrency in global campaign (Red Canary) US healthcare provider data breach impacts 1 million patients (Bleeping Computer) NorthBay Health Data Breach Impacts 569,000 Individuals (SecurityWeek) Norway seizes ship suspected of sabotage, says crew are Russian nationals (The Record) GitHub Copilot Jailbreak Vulnerability Let Attackers Train Malicious Models (Cyber Security News) D-Link Routers Vulnerability Let Attackers Gain Full Router Control Remotely (Cyber Security News) CISA, FDA Warn of Dangerous Backdoor in Contec Patient Monitors (SecurityWeek) Federal Cybersecurity Contractors Whiplashed By Uncertainty (GovInfo Security) Archivists Work to Identify and Save the Thousands of Datasets Disappearing From Data.gov (404 Media) Share your feedback. We want to ensure that you are getting the most out of the podcast. Please take a few minutes to share your thoughts with us by completing our brief listener survey as we continually work to improve the show. Want to hear your company in the show? You too can reach the most influential leaders and operators in the industry. Here’s our media kit. Contact us at cyberwire@n2k.com to request more info. The CyberWire is a production of N2K Networks, your source for strategic workforce intelligence. © N2K Networks, Inc. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
    Show More Show Less
    37 mins
  • Cracked and Nulled taken down.
    Jan 30 2025
    International law enforcement takes down a pair of notorious hacking forums. Wiz discovers an open DeepSeek database. Time Bandit jailbreaks ChatGPT. Ransomware hits one of the largest U.S. blood centers. A cyberattack takes the South African Weather Service offline. Researchers describe a new “browser syncjacking” attack. TeamViewer patches a high-severity privilege escalation flaw. Over three dozen industry groups urge Congress to pass a national data privacy law. CISA faces an uncertain future. N2K’s Brandon Karpf speaks with Ellen Chang, Vice President Ventures at BMNT and Head of H4XLabs. OpenAI Cries Foul After Getting a Taste of Its Own Medicine. Remember to leave us a 5-star rating and review in your favorite podcast app. Miss an episode? Sign-up for our daily intelligence roundup, Daily Briefing, and you’ll never miss a beat. And be sure to follow CyberWire Daily on LinkedIn. CyberWire Guest Today, N2K’s Brandon Karpf speaks with Ellen Chang, Vice President Ventures at BMNT and Head of H4XLabs, about the venture model, why it exists, how it works, and its impact. Selected Reading Police seizes Cracked and Nulled hacking forum servers, arrests suspects (Bleeping Computer) Wiz Research Uncovers Exposed DeepSeek Database Leaking Sensitive Information, Including Chat History (Wiz) Time Bandit ChatGPT jailbreak bypasses safeguards on sensitive topics(Bleeping Computer) US blood donation giant warns of disruption after ransomware attack (TechCrunch) South Africa’s government-run weather service knocked offline by cyberattack (The Record) Syncjacking Attack Enables Full Browser and Device Takeover (Infosecurity Magazine) TeamViewer Patches High-Severity Vulnerability in Windows Applications (SecurityWeek) Industry groups call on Congress to enact federal data privacy law (The Record) US Cyber Agency’s Future Role in Elections Remains Murky Under the Trump Administration (SecurityWeek) OpenAI Furious DeepSeek Might Have Stolen All the Data OpenAI Stole From Us (404 Media) Share your feedback. We want to ensure that you are getting the most out of the podcast. Please take a few minutes to share your thoughts with us by completing our brief listener survey as we continually work to improve the show. Want to hear your company in the show? You too can reach the most influential leaders and operators in the industry. Here’s our media kit. Contact us at cyberwire@n2k.com to request more info. The CyberWire is a production of N2K Networks, your source for strategic workforce intelligence. © N2K Networks, Inc. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
    Show More Show Less
    39 mins
  • Cats and RATS are all the rage.
    Jan 29 2025
    Hackers linked to China and Iran are using AI to enhance cyberattacks. An AI-powered messaging tool for Slack and Discord is reportedly leaking user data. British engineering giant Smiths Group suffers a cyberattack. Rockwell Automation details critical and high-severity vulnerabilities. Researchers warn of new side-channel vulnerabilities in Apple CPUs. The Hellcat ransomware gang looks to humiliate its victims. SparkRAT targets macOS users and government entities. Flashpoint looks at FleshStealer malware. Cybercriminals leverage trust in government websites. Our guest is Ivan Novikov, CEO at Wallarm, sharing insights on the recent United States ruling that bars certain Chinese and Russian connected car tech from being imported into the US. QR code shenanigans. Remember to leave us a 5-star rating and review in your favorite podcast app. Miss an episode? Sign-up for our daily intelligence roundup, Daily Briefing, and you’ll never miss a beat. And be sure to follow CyberWire Daily on LinkedIn. CyberWire Guest Our guest is Ivan Novikov, CEO at Wallarm, sharing insights on the recent United States ruling that bars certain Chinese and Russian connected car tech from being imported into the US and its impact. Selected Reading Chinese and Iranian Hackers Are Using U.S. AI Products to Bolster Cyberattacks (Wall Street Journal) Update: Cybercriminals still not fully on board the AI train (yet) (Sophos) Unprotected AI service streams private Slack messages for 30 bucks a month (Cybernews) Engineering giant Smiths Group discloses security breach (Bleeping Computer) Rockwell Patches Critical, High-Severity Vulnerabilities in Several Products (SecurityWeek) New Apple CPU side-channel attacks steal data from browsers (Bleeping Computer) SLAP (Predictors Fail) Meow-ware gang: the cyber cats who humiliate their prey (Cybernews) Hackers Attacking Windows, macOS, and Linux systems With SparkRAT (GB Hackers) Unmasking FleshStealer: A New Infostealer Threat in 2025 (Flashpoint) Threat Actors Exploit Government Websites for Phishing (Infosecurity Magazine) Christian Walther: "@gvy_dvpont Got me thinking… c…" (Mastodon) Share your feedback. We want to ensure that you are getting the most out of the podcast. Please take a few minutes to share your thoughts with us by completing our brief listener survey as we continually work to improve the show. Want to hear your company in the show? You too can reach the most influential leaders and operators in the industry. Here’s our media kit. Contact us at cyberwire@n2k.com to request more info. The CyberWire is a production of N2K Networks, your source for strategic workforce intelligence. © N2K Networks, Inc. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
    Show More Show Less
    33 mins